It’s not just about taming the mighty Indian batting, the West Indies rookie left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul is also looking forward to learn a thing or two from his famed rival spinners.

The 24-year-old Permaul on Friday said he had learnt a lot by watching New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori and he has similar plans from the two-Test series beginning in Kolkata from November 6.

“Most definitely I will watch the way the Indian spinners bowl and try to pick up a few things from them,” Permaul said after his impressive all-round show (46 not out and 2/61) against Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) on day two of their three-day practice match at JU Saltlake Campus Ground at Friday.

“There is no one in particular I will watch more, it’s just all about learning from seeing what others do, but I have learnt a lot from spending a lot of time watching Daniel Vettori from New Zealand,” he added.

Not afraid of the mighty Indian batting, Permaul said: “It will definitely be a challenge for me, if given the opportunity, but I am still looking forward to it and testing myself against them.”

Permaul also has some experience working with Pakistani great Saqlain Mushtaq and says he’s working to hone his doosra.

“Everybody knows Saqlain is a great bowler. I try to learn all that I could, but due to the ‘A’ team tour that occurred around the same time, I did not have a chance to get as much as I would have liked, but I still gained as much as I could during the time I spent with him,” Permaul said.

“The work on my variations is coming along well. I would like to learn how to bowl the ‘doosra’, but it will take time. I have to practice it more and hopefully in time to come I will be able to learn it … No, I’m not working on anything special for this series,” he added.

Permaul travelled with the West Indies A team’s tour to India last month and said it was a learning lesson for him.

“The pitch was flatter than what we had when I visited last month with the West Indies A-Team. Here in India, you have to be much more patient and bowl more consistent lines and lengths, allowing the batsmen to make the mistake,” he added.

Asked about the way the West Indies bowled on Friday, he said: “I think we are pretty happy with the way things have gone so far. We have to bowl with discipline and the outfield is pretty, so you are getting value for your strokes. I think this is a four runs-an-over ground, so we have not done too badly at the end of the day.”

In reply to the West Indies first innings score of 466 all out in 103.3 overs, the UPCA were 206 for five in 53 overs when bad light stopped play on the penultimate day of the three-day match.

First Published on November 1, 2013, 9:00 pmLast updated on November 1, 2013, 9:00 pm